How a Workers Compensation Lawyer Can Help After a Forklift Injury

From warehouses to construction sites, forklifts have many capabilities to push, carry and lift heavy goods or stack smaller objects. While operating forklifts, or powered industrial trucks, has continued to grow in popularity, using these machines improperly can come with a number of risks. Ohio employers have a responsibility to make sure all employees have training on how to operate forklifts properly and that safety procedures are in place. Powered industrial trucks, such as forklifts, cranes, bobcats and backloaders, must also receive routine maintenance to prevent defects.

When employers or another party acts negligently by failing to take care of these priorities, employees are the ones who get hurt. If you have been hurt in a forklift accident due to a forklift design defect, receiving inadequate training or from unsafe forklift operation, a forklift accident attorney may be able to help. You may be entitled to compensation through Ohio workers comp or seeking damages in a third party personal injury claim. The work injury attorneys of Larrimer & Larrimer, LLC are part of one of the oldest workers compensation law firms in Ohio. Following the legacy of their founder Richard Larrimer, the Columbus workers compensation attorneys at our firm are dedicated to seeking fairness and justice for workers hurt on the job. We have convenient office locations throughout Ohio, including our central location in Columbus and branch offices in Zanesville and Newark. Our worker compensation lawyers also have significant experience in handling claim hearings in Cambridge OH. If you were injured in a forklift accident, do not hesitate to contact the office nearest you for more information about how we may be able to assist. We know that forklift injuries are serious, and we take what has happened to our clients seriously.

The latest forklift accident statistics from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) showed that almost 100 employees die yearly from accidents involving forklifts on the job and about 20,000 workers sustain forklift injuries. These statistics should be a sign to any employer that proper forklift training, maintenance and forklift safety regulations are crucial to worker safety. Forklift accidents in warehouses, construction sites, mining sites and stores are preventable when operated safely. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires an operator of a powered industrial truck to gain certification (license) and participate in an OSHA-approved safety course every three years to keep forklift safety a priority in the workplace. So, how do forklift accidents happen? Some of the common reasons for forklift accidents include:

Most Common Types of Forklift Truck Accidents

Overturning the forklift and forklifts striking workers with the forklift arms are among the most common causes of fatalities in forklift accidents, according to the Centers for Disease Control. There are several common forklift accident injuries, including a forklift:

Who is Responsible for the Forklift Accident?

Workers compensation provides workers injured in forklift accidents with benefits that cover medical bills and other damages, such as a portion of your lost wages, regardless of who is at fault for the forklift accident. However, some workers hurt on the job in a forklift accident may have legal options outside of Ohio workers comp for damages. Depending on the situation, contractors on the worksite, owners of the facility in use and forklift manufacturers may be found responsible for the forklift accident occurring. If that is the case, injured workers and their families may have the option of filing a personal injury claim against a third party for their pain and suffering, which workers compensation benefits do not provide. When our Columbus workers comp attorney take on a forklift accident case, we investigate every possible avenue of compensation that may be available.

How Can a Forklift Injury Attorney Help?

Forklift accidents can happen in the blink of an eye. If you or a loved one has been injured or a family member has died in a fatal forklift accident, a qualified Ohio forklift accident attorney can help you learn what steps are needed to move toward obtaining the compensation you deserve from workers compensation or a third party lawsuit. We have the experience and knowledge necessary to help. Contact a forklift accident attorney at our law firm today.

“I am very blessed to have found this firm. They have made sure that I have received all the compensation possible related to my claim. This is the firm I would recommend to my own family members and anyone else in need of legal representation due to work related injuries.”

Larrimer & Larrimer, LLC, keeps its main offices in Columbus, but we also operate in Granville, Zanesville, Logan, Newark, Lima and Portsmouth. As part of our dedication to helping as many injured workers in Ohio as possible, we never want anyone to draw a blank when asking, “Is there an experienced and caring workers’ compensation lawyer near me?” Let us know what we can do for you by requesting a free consultation today.